Considering al-Qushayri’s expertise in both sufism and theology, to what extent is there evidence of the interplay between both in his views on the relationship between human actions (af‘āl al-‘ibād) and God’s omnipotence (qudra)?
Considering al-Qushayri’s expertise in both sufism and theology, to what extent is there evidence of the interplay between both in his views on the relationship between human actions (af‘āl al-‘ibād) and God’s omnipotence (qudra)?
- What were al-Qushayrī’s views on the relationship between human actions (af‘āl al-‘ibād) and God’s omnipotence (qudra)?
- To what extent did al-Qushayrī’s sufi background inform his views on issue of af‘āl al-‘ibād?
- To what extent did al-Qushayrī’s theological background inform his views on the issue of af‘āl al-‘ibād?
- How did his views on the issue of af‘āl al-‘ibād compare with those of some of his Ash’arite contemporaries e.g. imām al haramayn al Juwaynī?
Research Design and Methodology
The development of this thesis will be a desk-based process that will involve the identification and analysis of relevant primary and secondary sources of data in the light of the research questions identified. Engaging with the data will follow the stages below. The process will, however, not be consistently linear as moving back and forth within and across texts, visiting and re-visiting ideas, and reflecting on emerging understandings, will be required for developing a rich description and an in-depth interpretation.
1. Resource Identification and Data Collection
Both primary and secondary sources of data will be consulted, and al -Qushayrī’s core texts in both sufism and theology will be used. This will not be limited to his Risāla and Latā’if al-Ishārāt, as other scholarly work will be examined with a view of gaining a deeper insight into his creed and ethical approach. Both primary Arabic sources and English translations will be consulted. Previous Research on al-Qushayrī’s work will also be identified and examined as appropriate (Please see indicative bibliography).
2. Within-discipline Textual Analysis
Considering the scope of the research, this stage can be divided into two sub-stages: The sufism stage and the theology stage. Textual analysis will involve a careful examination of content, meaning, structure and discourse, and collecting data separately for each discipline will ensure a comprehensive approach ahead of the final cross-discipline analysis.
3. Cross-discipline Textual Analysis
During this stage both sources of data will be interrogated simultaneously in order to identify areas of correlation. This will be followed by a comparative analysis with other Sufi disciplines (the most appropriate ones from that era to be identified). Comparing al-Qushayrī’s legacy to others from the same path that do not have the same theological influences will help reach a conclusion regarding the impact that his theological background had on his work.
4. Discussion and Write Up
The write up stage will take place in the last year of the programme and will aim to systematically demonstrate and discuss the results of the above research process in the form of clear prose. This can be divided into the following: a descriptive case study of al-Qushayrī’s legacy from mystic and theological perspectives, an analysis of his sufi ethics and theological creed, and finally a comparative cross-discipline analysis and evaluation of his work to identify the extent to which there is evidence of the interplay between theology and Sufism therein.
Proposed Timeline
A detailed work schedule will be formulated around the above four stages of the development of the thesis. The first year will be dedicated to identifying and screening all scholarly resources, in addition to developing a literature review. The second year will be dedicated to within- and cross- discipline textual analysis. The third and final year will be dedicated to completing all analysis, discussing findings, and writing up. The proposed timeline may be summarised as follows:
